2008 International

ANSYS Conference

Using FEA Results To Determine

Stress Concentration Factors

W.D. Growney
Engineering Specialist
Eaton Aerospace, Conveyance Systems Division

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 Agenda

• Overview of Eaton Corporation

• Background
• Stress Concentration Factors from FEA results
• Example: Finite Plate with a Central Hole
• Example: Square Shoulder With Fillet (Pure
Bending)
• Summary

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 Vocabulary

• A – Area
• F – Force
• FEA – Finite Element Analysis
• Kt – Stress Concentration Factor
• P – Pressure
• σmax – Maximum Stress
• σnom – Nominal Stress

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 Eaton Worldwide

• Founded in 1911 by J.O. Eaton

• World Headquarters in
Cleveland, Ohio USA
• Customers in more than 150
countries
• More than 70,000 employees
worldwide
• Chairman & CEO –
Alexander M. Cutler

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 Eaton Business Groups

Electrical Fluid Power Truck Automotive

• A premier diversified industrial manufacturer

• A global leader in:
– Electrical systems and components for power quality, distribution
and control
– Fluid power systems and services for industrial, mobile and aircraft
equipment
– Intelligent truck drivetrain systems for safety and fuel economy
– Automotive engine air management systems, powertrain solutions
and specialty controls for performance, fuel economy and safety

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 Background

• Stress Concentration factors (Kt’s) for numerous “simple”

geometries have been determined by researchers
(analytical equations)
• Roark and Peterson have compiled these into easy to use
tables
• Using “simple” Kt’s for complex geometries can induce error
• Determining stress concentration factors (Kt) for complex
geometries can be difficult and expensive
• If strain gages cannot be applied to the maximum stress
location, remote stresses must be used to determine the
peak stress value (induces error)

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 Using FEA Results To Determine Kt’s

Kt = σmax / σnom

• FEA results can be used to easily determine the

maximum stress (σmax)
• Determining the nominal stress (σnom) can be
more difficult
• Knowledge of the stress gradient provides a
means of determining the nominal stress (σnom)

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 Finite Plate With A Central Hole
• Quarter-section Finite Element (FE) model.
– Example (from “Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain”, 7TH edition):

FEA Geometry (see Figure, quarter model shown):

A2 = 0.06250 in2 A1 = 0.09375 in2
Length = 1.500 in (Length (Roark) = infinite)
Width = 0.750 in (D (Roark) = 1.500 in)
Length = 1.500 in
r= 0.250 in (r (Roark) = 0.250 in)
t= 0.125 in
r = 0.250 in
A1 = 0.750 in * 0.125 in = 0.09375 in2
A2 = 0.500 in * 0.125 in = 0.06250 in2
Width = 0.750
in
Inputs (Area for applied load (pressure):
P1 = 320 lbf/in2
F = 320 lbf/in2 * 0.09375 in2 = 30 lbf
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 Uni-Axial Stress Gradient

Finite Plate w/hole Stress Gradient

1200

1000 Stress Gradient

Uniform Stress Field

σ(lbf/in2)
800

600

400

200

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Distance (in), from hole free surface

• The graph depicts the stress gradient for a finite plate with
a central hole and a uniform stress gradient
• The uniform stress gradient is the nominal stress (σnom)
• That would exist if the stress concentration were not present
• σnom for a finite plate with a central hole is simply:
• σnom = Pend * A1 / A2 or σnom = Fend / A2
• σnom = 320 lbf/in2 * 0.09375 in2 / 0.0625 in2 = 480 lbf/in2
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 Area Under Stress Gradient Curves

Finite Plate w/hole Stress Gradient

1200

Stress Gradient
1000
Uniform Stress Field
σ(lbf/in2) 800

600

400

200

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

Distance (in), from hole free surface

• The area under the two stress gradient curves (stress

concentration and uniform stress field) must be equal
(equivalent energy)
– The area under the uniform stress field curve is:
• AKt = σnom * Distance (from hole free surface)
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 Area Under Stress Gradient Curve
Table 1 – ANSYS Integration Operation Results (AKt ), Plate w/hole
S SX A Kt S SX A Kt S SX A Kt
0.000 1115.5 0 0.167 485.27 113.93 0.333 378.81 184.66
0.008 1030.3 8.9405 0.175 476.69 117.93 0.342 374.85 187.8
0.017 957.51 17.223 0.183 468.74 121.87 0.350 370.85 190.91
0.025 894.93 24.941 0.192 461.35 125.75 0.358 366.81 193.98
0.033 840.82 32.174 0.200 454.46 129.56 0.367 362.7 197.02
0.042 793.79 38.985 0.208 448.02 133.33 0.375 358.5 200.03
0.050 752.72 45.428 0.217 441.96 137.03 0.383 354.2 203
0.058 716.68 51.551 0.225 436.25 140.69 0.392 349.77 205.93
0.067 684.92 57.391 0.233 430.84 144.31 0.400 345.2 208.83
0.075 656.82 62.981 0.242 425.7 147.87 0.408 340.47 211.68
0.083 631.86 68.351 0.250 420.79 151.4 0.417 335.56 214.5
0.092 609.6 73.524 0.258 416.09 154.89 0.425 330.44 217.27
0.100 589.67 78.521 0.267 411.56 158.34 0.433 325.1 220.01
0.108 571.77 83.36 0.275 407.18 161.75 0.442 319.5 222.69
0.117 555.63 88.058 0.283 402.92 165.12 0.450 313.63 225.33
0.125 541.03 92.627 0.292 398.77 168.46 0.458 307.44 227.92
0.133 527.78 97.08 0.300 394.7 171.77 0.467 300.93 230.45
0.142 515.71 101.43 0.308 390.68 175.04 0.475 294.05 232.93
0.150 504.68 105.68 0.317 386.71 178.28 0.483 286.77 235.35
0.158 494.57 109.84 0.325 382.76 181.49 0.492 279.05 237.71
0.500 270.86 240

• ANSYS Post1 (post processor) provides integration

calculations via path operations
• AKt (ANSYS integration) = 240 lbf/in
• Solve for σnom:
• σnom = AKt / Distance = 240 lbf/in / 0.5 in = 480 lbf/in2
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 Calculating The Kt (Finite Plate w/hole)
• The Example from “Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain”, 7TH edition
(pgs. 773-774), provided photo-elastic stress analysis results with
σmax = 1130 lbf/in2
– The Roark (photo-elastic) Kt for a finite plate with a central hole is:
• Kt (photo-elastic) = σmax / σnom = 1130 lbf/in2 / 480 lbf/in2 = 2.35
– The Roark (formula) Kt for a finite plate with a central hole is:
• Kt (formula) = 3.00 – 3.13(2r/D) + 3.66(2r/D)2 – 1.53(2r/D)3 = 2.31
– The FEA Kt for a finite plate with a central hole is:
• Kt (FEA) = σmax /σnom = 1115 lbf/in2 / 480 lbf/in2 = 2.32
• Error (photo-elastic to FEA):
• % error = {(Kt(photo-elastic) – Kt(FEA)) / Kt(photo-elastic)} * 100
• % error = {(2.35 – 2.32) / 2.35} * 100 = 1.3%
• Error (formula to FEA):
• % error = {(Kt(formula) – Kt(FEA)) / Kt(formula)} * 100
• % error = {(2.31 – 2.32) / 2.31} * 100 = -0.43%

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 Conclusion (uniform stress Kt from FEA)

• FEA results (path operations and integration to determine

the area under the stress gradient curve) provides an
accurate method of determining the nominal stress (σnom)
• The Kt from FEA results provide a value with less than 2%
error for a uniform stress field
• Reference documents (Kt analytical equations) are not
required
• Kt’s are for actual geometry
• Further verification/validation of the methodology is required

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 Square Shoulder With Fillet (Pure Bending)

• Roark’s Analytical model

– Square shoulder with fillet in a member of rectangular cross-section
– Example (from “Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain”, 7th edition)

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 Square Shoulder With Fillet (Pure Bending)

• Half-section Finite Element (FE) model.

– Square shoulder with fillet in a member of rectangular cross-section
– Example (from “Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain”, 7TH edition):

L/2 (half model)

r h Geometry (see Figure, quarter model shown):

(3 places)
D= 3.000 in (Roark – D = 3.000 in)
r= 0.500 in (Roark – r = 0.500 in)
h= 1.000 in (Roark – h = 1.000 in)
L/2 = 1.500 in (Roark – L = 3.000 in)

Inputs (applied load (force):

D Fy = -1000 lbf

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 Square Shoulder With Fillet (Pure Bending)

• Roark’s Analytical model

– The h/r ratio = 2.0, therefore, the Kt was calculated using the two forms of
the analytical equation 0.1 < h/r < 2.0 and 2.0 < h/r < 20.0
– Square shoulder example (from “Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain”,
7th edition)
– Both forms of the equation provide a Kt of 1.222

Kt Theoretical Calculations (from Roark's "Formulas

for Stress and Strain" , 7th edition)
0.1≤h/r ≤2.0 2.0≤h/r ≤20.0
h 1.0 L/D 1.0 C1 2.359214 C1 2.358758
D 3.0 2h/D 0.6667 C2 -2.171769 C2 -2.171388
r 0.5 h/r 2.0 C3 0.471304 C3 0.470505
L 3.0 L/D 0.951366 C4 0.341252 C4 0.342126
Kt 1.221947 Kt 1.221649

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 Square Shoulder With Fillet (Pure Bending)

• FEA model
– The max stress (12,242 lbf/in2) occurs adjacent to the beginning of the fillet
– For ease of calculation (known cross-section and moment arm) the Kt is determined
at the beginning of the fillet where the max stress is 10,900 lbf/in2
– For pure bending σmax = MY/I = σnom (stress if Kt did not exist)
– σnom = MY/(bh/12) = 1.500 in * (1000 lbf) * (0.500 in) / ((1.000 in)*(1.000 in) / 12))
– σnom = 9000 lbf/in2

Fy = -1000 lbf

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 Square Shoulder With Fillet (Pure Bending)

• Stress Gradients
– The area under the pure bending stress gradient is:
• AKt = ½ σmax * Distance to neutral axis
• σmax = 2 * AKt / Distance
– Using path operations and integration, the area under the
Rect_Bar_Gradient curve is:
• AKt = 2166.30 lbf/in
• σmax = σnom = 2 * AKt / Distance = 2 * ( 2166.3 lbf/in) / (0.5 in) = 8665.2 lbf/in2
Table 1 – ANSYS Integration Operation Results (AKt ), Rectangular Bar
Rectangular Bar Stress Gradient
12000 S σx AKt S σx AKt S σx AKt
Bending Stress (lbf/in2)

0.0000 10900 0.00 0.1667 5548 1313.60 0.3333 2461 1965.20

Rect_Bar_Gradient 0.0083 10507 89.20 0.1750 5363 1359.10 0.3417 2335 1985.20
10000 Rect_Bar (IF Kt=1) 0.0167 10115 175.12 0.1833 5178 1403.00 0.3500 2191 2004.10
0.0250 9722 257.77 0.1917 5003 1445.40 0.3583 2070 2021.80
0.0333 9454 337.67 0.2000 4833 1486.40 0.3667 1949 2038.60
8000
0.0417 9125 415.09 0.2083 4663 1525.90 0.3750 1807 2054.20
0.0500 8796 489.76 0.2167 4493 1564.10 0.3833 1690 2068.80
6000 0.0583 8547 562.02 0.2250 4336 1600.90 0.3917 1573 2082.40
0.0667 8258 632.04 0.2333 4178 1636.30 0.4000 1432 2094.90
0.0750 7969 699.65 0.2417 4014 1670.50 0.4083 1318 2106.40
4000 0.0833 7734 765.08 0.2500 3867 1703.30 0.4167 1204 2116.90
0.0917 7480 828.47 0.2583 3720 1734.90 0.4250 1064 2126.30
0.1000 7225 889.75 0.2667 3560 1765.20 0.4333 952 2134.70
2000 0.1083 7004 949.03 0.2750 3421 1794.30 0.4417 840 2142.20
0.1167 6777 1006.50 0.2833 3283 1822.30 0.4500 701 2148.60
0.1250 6551 1062.00 0.2917 3127 1849.00 0.4583 591 2154.00
0 0.1333 6341 1115.70 0.3000 2995 1874.50 0.4667 480 2158.50
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.1417 6137 1167.70 0.3083 2864 1898.90 0.4750 342 2161.90
Distance to Neutral Axis (in) 0.1500 5933 1218.00 0.3167 2712 1922.10 0.4833 232 2164.30
0.1583 5733 1266.60 0.3250 2586 1944.20 0.4917 122 2165.80
0.5000 12 2166.30
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 Square Shoulder With Fillet (Pure Bending)

• FEA Kt
– Using the FEA smax (10,900 lbf/in2) at the beginning of the
fillet and snom from the area under the curve, the FEA Kt
for the square shoulder with a fillet geometry is:
• Kt (FEA) = σmaxFEA / σnom = 10900 lbf/in2 / 8665.2 lbf/in2 = 1.258
• Analytical Kt (Roark)
– The Kt using the analytical formula from Roark is:
• Kt = 1.222
• Error (formula to FEA):
• % error = {(Kt(formula) – Kt(FEA)) / Kt(formula)} * 100
• % error = {(1.222 – 1.258) / 1.222} * 100 = -2.95%

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 Conclusion (Pure Bending stress Kt from FEA)

• The Kt obtained from the equivalent energy

method has an error of less than 3% to the
analytical Kt
• Analytical Kt’s are obtained from empirical data
• Reference documents (Kt analytical equations)
are not required
• Kt’s are for actual geometry
• Further verification/validation of the methodology
is required

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 Summary

• The preliminary work presented for determining Kt‘s from

FEA results is very promising
• Obtaining “actual geometry” Kt’s from FEA results eliminates
the need to find, and the error associated with, using
empirically based analytical Kt’s for “simple” geometry
• Minimal error (less than 3%) between empirically based
analytical Kt’s and Kt’s obtained from FEA results is
demonstrated for uni-axial and pure bending stress fields
• Additional verification/validation of the methodology is
required
• Expansion of the methodology to include multi-axial states of
stress will be investigated
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